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Zayn Malik has written to UK Prime Minister Rishi Sunak to share his concerns about children living through the cost-of-living crisis and asked for his help to ensure those kids get a free meal at school.

The former One Direction member shared a picture of his signed letter on Instagram in which he described the difficulties many families in the UK are currently facing due to the costs of living rising. “Four million children live in households who experienced food poverty in September 2022. In addition, 800,000 children in England miss out on a Free School Meal even though they are living in poverty,” he said.

The pop star said these children are suffering from lack of concentration and some even resort to stealing food from school canteens because they can’t afford to buy it.

“They are also feeling shame, which is directly impacting their physical and mental health. I know what that shame feel like, I have seen it first-hand, as growing up in Bradford, I relied on Free School Meals. I personally experienced the stigma surrounding food insecurity. My hope is that in writing this letter we can all ensure that no child ever has to experience this hunger and stigma again as my experience is not unique; it is a struggle that many children in England are sadly going through right now.”

As I see it, extending the current threshold and giving Free School Meals to children from families on Universal Credit would be the best way to reach those who need it most, Malik suggested.

“This would stop children from enduring the worst of the cost-of-living crisis which in in turn only creates bigger divides between the richest and the poorest. Free School Meals are such a big help for the poorest children in our society and they guarantee a reliably hot nutritious lunch every day at school, so children can thrive rather than worrying about where their next meal comes from.

“I hope the government does what’s right and makes the changes that are needed.” Malik said that while parents are already doing everything they can, government support is desperately needed. “No parent soul have to make impossible decisions like whether to buy food, turn on the heating, or go into debt. Knowing their children are getting a good lunch at school would be a huge relief to parents who are struggling,” he wrote, reminding the PM that pressures will only intensify as food and energy prices rise.

“As prime minister you have the power to change this. Please act in good conscience and commit in your budget on 17th November to giving all children living in poverty a Free School Meal. Children going hungry is not inevitable and should not come down to a political issue or ideology.”

Free school meals are provided by the UK government to children who are or whose parents are being given income support or other kinds of governmental aid. The UK has been hit hard by a cost of living crisis, triggering protests. Recently, the Bank of England announced its biggest rate hike in 33 years that is expected to worsen the crisis and put more burden on families looking to repay their existing loans.